Unpredictable [In Stereo] {slow updates}

Chapter 3 | Avoiding

Ethan's POV

"Hey Ethan, are you waiting for someone?"

I spun around to the voice of Emma who was lingering from behind me. She smiled with her beautiful pearly white teeth as she gently walked towards me and rested her head on my shoulder.

"No one special, just my mum." I laughed quietly staring up at the sky. Dark clouds were slowly and forming and gathering. I could faintly hear the sound of thunder crack far off in the distance which meant that it was very likely that a storm was heading our way.

"Band rehearsal?" She questioned knowingly.

"Yeah I'm just waiting for Chris and Jakob to show up, because I said that I'd give them a lift today."

"Maybe they bailed on you." Emma joked, but honestly I was starting to think she was right. It had been ten minutes and I hadn't heard anything from either of them.

Where the hell could they be? I thought to myself as I looked at my watch, slowly growing impatient.

"Guess it looks like I may be a one-man band..." I told her, scanning all exits of the school in hope to spot Chris or Jakob.

"I could join you if I want." Emma offered, "but you already know that I'm hopeless at singing."

"Aw thank Em." I grinned as I bent over and kissed her on the lips, "And you're not hopeless. You're amazing."

"Have you even heard me sing Ethan?" She raised her eyebrows. I pulled away uncertainly, coming to the conclusion that I hadn't actually heard her sing before. Not ever. Not even once.

Well she definitely caught me out on that one, that for sure...

I hesitantly looked at the ground, "Uhhhhh-"

"Well thanks anyway Ethan." Her slight frown turned back into her usual, gorgeous and addictive smile. It suited her much better, and made her look ten times more beautiful when she actually and genuinely smiled.

"I love you."

And before I could even process what she said, I replied with "Thanks."

Thanks!? My subconscious practically yelled at me, who on earth replies with 'thanks' when someone says I love you'? No one! Or someone obviously stupid like you Ethan.

I gritted my teeth in frustration and silently cursed under my breath hoping that Emma wouldn't hear.

Why hadn't I just replied with 'I love you too'? Was I just genuinely embarrassed to tell her? Or was there something holding me back from saying it?

Jamie.

She was the last person I had actually said those words to. I hadn't said that I loved anyone on over a year, not even my parents. That was probably why I had struggled to let the words out. Because of all the memories those words reminded me of.

I had no idea why I had chose to ignore her today. I just really wasn't expecting to see her after convincing myself that we'd never actually see each other eye-to-eye and face-to-face again.